A resin molding system 1 comprises a gripping device 3 provided with a gripping frame 30 for gripping a resin sheet material 2, a heating device for heating the resin sheet material 2 and a molding device for clamping a lower die 61 and an upper die, and affixing the resin sheet material 2 to a substrate 63. The molding device is provided with: a lowering device for lowering the gripping device 3 and causing the resin sheet material 2 gripped by the gripping frame 30 to approach the lower die 61; and a pair of bent posts 67, 68 which are provided on both Y-direction sides of the lower die 61, and which come in contact with portions of the gripping frame 30 when the gripping device 3 is lowered, and which convexly bend the gripping frame 30 upward as viewed from the side along the Y-direction.

A method for forming an article includes providing a sheet of material, optionally conditioning the sheet with a surface of a roller, forming the sheet to provide a web, and separating an article from the web to provide the article. An apparatus adapted to form the article from a sheet is provided.

A method for making a container, wherein in a positioning step a tray (2) constituted of a single sheet of material, folded and shaped with wrinkled zones (3) is positioned in a thermoforming mould (7), and wherein in a covering step a sheet of thermoplastic material (1) is thermoformed on the tray (2), the covering step being carried out while preventing the thermoforming mould (7) from making contact with the layer of thermoplastic material (9) at the wrinkled zones (3) of an annular flange (6) of the tray (2). Also claimed is an apparatus (13) which comprises a thermoforming mould (7) in which there are present a first peripheral portion (8) configured to support in use the annular flange (6) of the tray (2) and a second peripheral portion (17) which, in the operating position, is facing the first peripheral portion (8), wherein in the operating position, the second peripheral portion (17) is at a distance from the first peripheral portion (8) in such a way that it does not make contact with the layer of thermoplastic material (9) stuck to the tray (2), at the wrinkled zones (3) of the annular flange (6).

A method for forming a fiber reinforced thermoplastic part may comprise the steps of locating a thermoplastic material over a mold tool, heating the thermoplastic material to a pliable forming temperature, conforming the thermoplastic material to a mold surface of the mold tool, and depositing a plurality of fiber strips over the thermoplastic material.

A station for feeding closing seals for containers, which includes at least one fixed magazine of seals which is provided with an outlet from which the seals can be taken individually. The station includes a carousel for feeding seals which can rotate with respect to a first central rotation axis and is provided with pickers which are radially spaced apart from the first rotation axis. The pickers are individually rotatable about a second rotation axis which is not parallel to the first axis of the carousel. During the rotation of the carousel, at least one picker can is configured to rotate about the second axis from a position for taking the seal from the magazine to a position for releasing the seal.

During a manufacturing method, a preform is arranged with a plurality of grips. The preform includes a stack of a plurality of layers of material. The grips are disposed along a periphery of the stack. The preform is formed into a shaped body. The forming includes pressing a die against the stack and gripping the stack with the grips during the pressing of the die. The gripping includes asynchronously gripping the stack with at least some of the grips.

A web transport assembly for moving flexible sheet material in a manufacturing process. The web transport assembly comprises first and second gripper chains spaced apart from one another to define a path of travel of the flexible sheet material, each of the gripper chains having a plurality of saddle links and a plurality of gripper links. First and second parallel rail structures are respectively aligned with the first and second gripper chains. In addition, upstream and downstream hubs are associated with each of the first and second gripper chains to define a continuous loop about which the associated gripper chain extends. At least one of the hubs includes a driven sprocket having a plurality of teeth engaging the associated gripper chain. The saddle links have a pair of spaced apart extension portions defining a spaced in which an associated one of the rails is received. The gripper links have a gripper mechanism that is configured to clamp a side of the flexible sheet material.

Systems, apparatus, and methods for double-sided imprinting are provided. An example system includes first rollers for moving a first web including a first template having a first imprinting feature, second rollers for moving a second web including a second template having a second imprinting feature, dispensers for dispensing resist, a locating system for locating reference marks on the first and second webs for aligning the first and second templates, a light source for curing the resist, such that a cured first resist has a first imprinted feature corresponding to the first imprinting feature on one side of the substrate and a cured second resist has a second imprinted feature corresponding to the second imprinting feature on the other side of the substrate, and a moving system for feeding in the substrate between the first and second templates and unloading the double-imprinted substrate from the first and second webs.

A frame device for retaining and positioning sheet materials and possible reinforcing materials intended to be thermoformed to obtain objects made of composite material includes a first tubular element defining internally a first vacuum chamber for grasping by aspiration a first sheet material and a second tubular element defining internally a second vacuum chamber, separate from, and independent of the first vacuum chamber and configured for grasping by aspiration a second sheet material. The first tubular element and the second tubular element are fixed together permanently so as to define a grasping frame-structure configured as a single piece. A third vacuum chamber is defined in the grasping frame structure, separate and independent of the first and second vacuum chambers and configured for removing air from the zone that is interposed between the first and second sheet materials and which is intended for being possibly occupied by the reinforcing materials.

Systems, apparatus, and methods for double-sided imprinting are provided. An example system includes first rollers for moving a first web including a first template having a first imprinting feature, second rollers for moving a second web including a second template having a second imprinting feature, dispensers for dispensing resist, a locating system for locating reference marks on the first and second webs for aligning the first and second templates, a light source for curing the resist, such that a cured first resist has a first imprinted feature corresponding to the first imprinting feature on one side of the substrate and a cured second resist has a second imprinted feature corresponding to the second imprinting feature on the other side of the substrate, and a moving system for feeding in the substrate between the first and second templates and unloading the double-imprinted substrate from the first and second webs.